Scripted Politics : An analysis of the Scottish State's reliance of Charisma

Abstract

This essay analyses the goings on of First Minster’s Questions in the Scottish Parliament. Through the realisation that this spectacle is largely semi-scripted I make the argument that the idea of the state relies on the charisma of events like this in order to encourage engagement, thereby reinforcing its existence. I argue that the alternative of pitting facts and figures against each other without the spectacle lacks the charisma to engage an audience in the idea of the state.